We are thrilled to announce the recipients of our first ever David Johnston Memorial Scholarship, established to honour David's legacy of excellence, mentorship, and unwavering commitment to advancing our field through education and professional development.
After reviewing an exceptional pool of applications, our selection committee is proud to award scholarships to two outstanding individuals who embody the values David championed throughout his career - dedication to learning, passion for innovation, and a commitment to making a meaningful impact in their communities.
Our 2025 Recipients
“I am honoured and humbled to be acknowledged in this way and a very proud recipient in honour of David. I look forward to the course and meeting everyone in the flesh with immense anticipation.”
Kelly Bisset
NZ Red Cross Emergency Management Officer
Kelly is an action-oriented and operationally focused collaborator across the Motu. Part of her mahi with Red Cross involves leading, training and enabling the volunteer Disaster Welfare and Support Teams (DWST), which she finds extremely rewarding. Kelly is continually driven to inspire, motivate, and lead others in improving their response and recovery skills, experiences, and confidence in emergency management.
As a volunteer with Taskforce Kiwi (TFK), Kelly has deployed to Jasper, Canada after the devastating wildfire, Dunedin flooding and assisted remotely with the Myanmar earthquake. A key contributor to maintaining her drive, dedication and direction is having opportunities to be on the ground as part of a dynamic team and physically getting stuff done alongside disaster affected communities with hope, humour and grace.
“I am absolutely rapt to have received this 2025 David Johnston Memorial Scholarship from RRANZ. I will make sure that I honour Distinguished Professor David Johnston's legacy and pay this knowledge forward in the many places where I have a voice and use it to assist many others through my work. This scholarship helps me complete a goal I have had since I invested in the Part 1 part of the course back in 2022, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to finish the programme. Thank you.”
Michelle Gillman
Taskforce Kiwi Volunteer Manager & Emergency Management Volunteer
Michelle been an emergency management volunteer for many years and is also the National Volunteer Experience Manager, for Taskforce Kiwi a disaster relief and recovery NGO with over 715 volunteers across New Zealand. She actively promotes volunteerism, regularly trains and mentors others in the sector, promotes risk reduction and readiness, and plays a key role in coordinating operations. She remains an active volunteer for multiple organisations in Canterbury deployed around New Zealand and in Australia. Michelle is currently undertaking a PhD in Emergency Management focusing on health and safety leadership in disasters, following a career in disaster prevention and readiness in high risk operations.
“I am absolutely rapt to have received this 2025 David Johnston Memorial Scholarship from RRANZ. I will make sure that I honour Distinguished Professor David Johnston's legacy and pay this knowledge forward in the many places where I have a voice and use it to assist many others through my work. This scholarship helps me complete a goal I have had since I invested in the Part 1 part of the course back in 2022, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to finish the programme. Thank you.”
Honouring David's Legacy
This scholarship represents our commitment to keeping David's memory alive by supporting individuals who share his values and dedication. We know David would be incredibly proud of both recipients and excited to see the impact they will make through the RRANZ programme.
Looking Forward
Both scholarship recipients will be attending the upcoming RRANZ programme, where they will join a community of learners and professionals committed to building emergency management capability. We look forward to following their journeys and celebrating their future achievements.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to our winners and our sincere gratitude to everyone who applied. The quality of applications we received is a testament to the bright future of our field and a fitting tribute to David's enduring influence.
The David Johnston Memorial Scholarship will continue annually, providing opportunities for deserving individuals to advance their professional development. Applications for the 2026 scholarship will open in early 2026. Read more about future scholarship opportunities.